Golf: DeChambeau and Thomas make holes-in-one at 16th at Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. (Reuters) - Bryson DeChambeau picked a good time for the first hole-in-one of his career when he aced the par-three 16th in the final round at the Masters on Sunday.

Golf - Masters - Augusta National Golf Club - Augusta, Georgia, U.S. - April 14, 2019 - Justin Thomas of the U.S. watches his putt on the 2nd hole during final round play. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

DeChambeau used a seven-iron from 180 yards and his ball landed well to the right of the pin before feeding down the slope and into the cup.

Fellow American Justin Thomas continued the party a couple of hours later when he used an eight-iron to notch the second ace of the day at the same hole.

It was the 22nd at the hole in Masters history.

As with DeChambeau, the tee shot of Thomas landed right of the cup and the ball gently rolled down and in.

Thomas reacted by accepting a high-five from playing companion Phil Mickelson.

DeChambeau who shared the first-round lead at Augusta National, also reacted with understandable delight as he hugged his playing companion Takumi Kanaya.

“Three years ago I said to my caddie and to everyone in my camp ‘I’m going to make a hole in one here one day’ and sure enough it was my first one three years later,” DeChambeau said.

Thomas shot 69 to finish at eight-under-par 280, while DeChambeau (70) was four shots further back.

The 16th is by far the easiest of the par-threes at Augusta when the hole is cut in its traditional Sunday position on the on the left-side of the green, where the slope helps feed balls towards the cup.

By contrast, there has only ever been one hole-in-one at the fourth, by Jeff Sluman in 1992.